Who are we?

The Department of Anthropology advances the study and constructive understanding of human diversity and commonality, across the globe and throughout the long span of human existence. We pursue this aim through excellence in research, teaching, and community collaboration, grounded in multiple analytical and interpretive methods that share a commitment to field and museum-based inquiry.

Our undergraduate program is divided into three streams (museology/visual anthropology; socio-cultural anthropology, and archaeology/bioarchaeology) but share core program outcomes for our graduates.

Explore the worlds of cultural expression in different media from different places and times.

Experience the processes of conducting research and the challenges of making sense of other peoples’ lives, past and present.

Empathize with the contexts and perspectives of people in all walks of life and communities via anthropological views on cultural literacy.

Recognize the asymmetries and manifestations of power in relationships and institutions, especially those involving marginalized communities and individuals.

Evaluate claims, academic and otherwise, about the nature of humanity and the narratives of history and culture.

Reflect critically on the role of scholarship in the understanding of culture and identity.

Apply the logic and understanding of anthropology to issues facing communities around the world, especially as they confront powerful local and global interests.

Engage in productive discussion with diverse communities to unsettle assumptions and misconceptions commonly held about Aboriginal and Indigenous issues.

Communicate scholarship to a range of audiences as equal partners in the understanding of human experience.